Wear plate attachment for digger tooth construction



ION

Sept. 11, 1956 E. LAUNDER WEAR PLATE ATTACHMENT FOR DIGGER TOOTH CONSTRUCT Filed NOV. 3, 1952 r U 3 m A w m m MW u Z m @.w 141 W1 A In flnm/ 7 applied to a tooth for United States Patent A WEAR PLATE ATTACHMENT FOR DIGGER TOOTH CONSTRUCTION Montebello, Calif., assignor to H. & L. Montebello, Calif a corporation of Ernie L. Lannder, Tooth Compan California This invention has to do with digger tooth construction and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, improved structure adapted to be use on shovel dippers, dragline buckets, rippers, or like equipment.

Digger teeth are used extensively on rippers, shovel dippers, dragline buckets, rippers and like devices, and such elements are subject to considerable wear. As a result of this it is common practice to construct the usual digger tooth with a body or permanent part having a shank, and to provide a replaceable or readily removable cap on the tooth and shank. The cap is provided with the view of supplying the structure with a removable or replaceable part subject to wear.

Another object of this invention is to provide a construction combining a cap and a wear plate protecting the body of the tooth, which elements are combined or related so that the wear plate continues rearwardly from the cap and the structure as a whole is of simple, sturdy construction.

It is another object of this invention to provide a structure of the general character referred to wherein a wear plate is provided to protect the body of the tooth immediately rearward of the cap, which structure is such as to provide effective protection for the body without materially enlarging or in any way encumbering either the cap or the body which supports the cap.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tooth construction of the general character referred to wherein the cap and the wear plate cooperating therewith are mounted on or carried by the body wholly independent of the mounting of the body on the bucket or shovel to which it is applied.

' It is another object of this invention to provide a tooth construction of the general character referred to having a simple, practical, inexpensive, wear plate applied to the permanent body of the tooth and releasably secured thereon so that it is not subject to being accidentally displaced or lost and yet can be removed and replaced easily and quickly when necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tooth body of improved form and construction and which is such as to receive a renewable wear taking cap and a renewable wear taking plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple practical unit applicable to the permanent body of a digger tooth and which is characterized by an effective wear-taking part and elements on or projecting from that part by which the unit is mounted on the body of the tooth.

In the structure provided byv the present invention there 'is a tooth body in the form of a permanent part and which body is preferably provided with a stem adapted to be secured to a ripper, shovel, bucket or like structure. The tooth body has a base portion carried by and projecting forward from the stem and a shank carried by and projecting forward from the base portion. A replaceable cap is carried by the shank and has a tongue Patented Sept. 11, 1956 entered in a socket in the forward end of the base portion. The cap includes a blade on which the tongue occurs and a mounting means by which the cap is mounted on the shank. The mounting means includes cheeks depending from the edge portions of the blade and a bottom engageable under the shank.

A retaining means is provided retaining the cap on the shank, and preferably includes a pin transverse of the assembly engaged through the shank and through the cheeks of the mounting means.

The upper forward portion of the base of the body is recessed and a wear-taking plate is seated in the recess to extend rearwardly from the rear end of the blade of the cap. A mounting means for the wear-taking plate includes side plates fixed to and depending from the edge portions of the wear-taking plate and entered in indentations in the sides of the base rearward of the forward end thereof. Retaining means for the unit comprising the wear-taking plate and side plates includes lugs on the forward ends of the side plates at the lower portions thereof, which lugs enter in cavities provided in the base. Keys on the lower edge portions of the side plates enter in keyways in the base and a pin is provided and extends transversely through the base and through openings in the side plates.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a typical bucket showing a tooth thereon including the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the tooth as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse detailed sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, being a view taken as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2. Fig; 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, being a view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view taken substantially as indicated by line 55 on Fig. 4, showing the forward portion of the structure in elevation and the rear'portion thereof in section. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the unit which is formed by the wear-taking plate and the side plates that depend therefrom, and Fig. 7 is -a perspective View illustrating a retaining pin employed in the structure.

The tooth construction provided by the present invention can be used in various situations and for purpose ofexample a tooth embodying the present inventionis shown applied to a bucket A. In accordance with the invention, the tooth has a body of permanent parts B suitably secured to the bucket A and formed with a forwardly projecting base portion 10 and a shank '11 which projects forward from the base portion. A cap C is mounted on the shank and is retained thereon by a retaining means D. A wear-taking unit E is mounted on the base 10 and is retained thereon by a retaining means F. a

The body B of the structure provided by the present invention may be formed as a part of, or may be applied to, a bucket A, or the like, in any suitable manner. In the particular case illustrated the body Bis shown as including a stem portion 13 adapted to be secured to the bucket B as by means of suitable fasteners, welding, or other suitable means. 3

The base 10 of body B is shown in the drawings to be in the nature of an enlargement on the forward end of stem 13 and it is formed so that it has'flat, vertical, parallel side walls 15, a bottom wall 16, a top wall 17 and a front wall 18. The bottom wall 16 inthe case illustrated is substantially flat and extends or projects forward and somewhat upward from the lowermost portion ofthe' body. The front wall 18 of the base 10 is preferably flat IS'of the base.

and in the construction illustrated is shown-as extending up and somewhat forward from the edge, where it joins the'bottom T6. The top 17 of the base is interrupted by the construction provided by the present invention, as will be hereinafter described.

The shank 11 of body B is carried by andprojects forward from the'base 1'0 and in 'the'form illustrated has fiat, parallel, vertical sides 20 spaced inward from the sides '15 of the base and projecting-forward from the forward end The shank has a top 21 which is flat and which joins the front 18 of the base 19 below the top of the base and projects forwardjand somewhat downward therefrom. The shank has a flat bottom 22 that adjoins the base above the bottom '16thereof and projects forward from the front 18 of the base and somewhat upward. The top '21 and bottom '22 join at-a point 23 a suitable distanceforward of the front 18 of base 19.

The cap C may, in accordance with the broader principles of the invention, vary somewhat in form and construction. In the particular case illustrated, the cap is shown as characterized by a flat elongate blade '36 having a bottom '31 which seats upon the top 21 of the shank. The tip or forward end portion 33 of the blade is preferably dressed or sharpened, as circumstances require, while the back or rear end 34 of the blade is preferably flat and opposes and is adjacent the front 18 of the base 10.

In accordance with the present invention a tongue 35 is provided on andprojects rearwardly from the rear end 34 of the blade 39 and is entered in a socket 36 provided in the front end of base 10. In the preferred construction the tongue 35 and the socket that receives the tongue are somewhat narrower than the blade, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The cap C is provided with a mounting means and in the construction illustrated this mounting means includes cheek plates 40 fixed to and depending from the edge portions of the blade 30. The check plates 40 are preferably shaped and proportioned to, in effect, completely cover the sides 20 of shank 11 and they are preferably proportioned so that their outer sides 41 are substantially flush with .thesides 15 of the .base 10. The mounting means further includes a bottom 42 which extends between the lower edge portions of the cheek plates 40 and which seats against the bottom 22 of shank 11.

With the-cap construction above described, the capis effectively supported ontheshank 11; in fact, it is .held thereon by wedging engagement and it, in effect, 100111- pletely encloses or encases the shank while .at thesame time it is effectively guided by and anchored to the base 10 of body B by engagement of 'the tongue 35 in the socket'36. r I

TheretainingmeansD serves toreleasably retain the cap Con shank 11. In the case. illustrated, theretaining means .D includes a retainer having a pin portion 51 carriedin an opening 52 provided in the shank 11 transversely thereof .a s table distance forwardof the front end 18 of base 10. Heads or enlargements 53provi'ded on the ends of the pin 50' are seated in openings 54 provided in the cheek plates '40 of the cap. -In the case illustrated the retainer 50 formed by thepin portion 51 and the heads 53 is an elongate structure and it is split longitudinally intotwo like sections between which there is a hat, resilient insert 55 whichmay 'be formed of rubber, or the like. In practice,'therubber.55 is bonded to the like sections of the retainer. When this format retainerris employed, the openings 54in the cheek platesare made elongate .ina direction lengthwiseof the tooth, and the opening 52 through the shank is made large :enough to pass-a head 53 of the retainer. When thislretaineris in place, the plane of the fiat insert .55 is vertically disposed and the pin portion51-bears against theforward 'side of the opening 52 .in the shank While the heads 53 bear against the rearsides .ofthe openings 54in the cheek plates. .As a result of this construction, the retainer 50, whichis subject to being forcedor driven intoand out of operating position, is locked in place -by reason ofthe heads engaging the sides 20 of the shank, while at the same time it yieldingly urges the cap C rearwardly onto the shank'll so that the cap is maintained tight on the shank.

in accordance with the present invention the upper forward portion of the base 10 of body A is provided or formed with a recess and this recess has what may be termed a flat bottom 60 and a forwardly facing back wall 61. The bottom 69 of the recess is in-a plane substantiaily parallel with that of the blade 30 of thecap C=and is preferably located somewhatbelow the plane of the-top of blade 30. The back wall 61 of the recess is flat-and preferably extends downwardly from the top 17 of base 19 to join the bottom 60 of the recess. The back wall 61 is pitched relative to the front 18 ofthe base so that these parts are downwardly divergent, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. In the preferred construction the recess just described extends completely across the base portion 19.

The wear plate E is carried in and preferably occupies the recess provided in the base 10, and in the case illustrated it has a flat bottom 7 0 which seats on the botto rnl60 of the recess, and it has a rear end 71 thatseats or bears against the back wall 61 of the recess. The plate is preferably coextensive with the recess longitudinally of the tooth so that its forward 'end 72 terminates flush with the end 18 of the base 10 and opposes the rear end 34 of the blade 30 of the cap C. The top 73 of the wearplate E is preferably curved or convex in form and,.in effect, ex-

tends up and rearwardly fromthe front-end 72 and is in the nature of a rounded hump covering the forward portion of the base 10, continuing rearwardlyfrom the rear end of-the blade 30. It is this rounded or humped portion of the wear plate that forms the wear-taking partthat protects the base 10.

A mounting 'meansfor the wearplate E includes-side plates which depend from the edge portions .of-the wear plate'and which extend longitudinally of the tooth or parallel with the sides 15 of the base 10. The side plates 80 are accommodated or seated in depressions 82 provided in the sides of the base 10 and which extend downwardly from the recess. in thepreferred form-of construction the side plates 80 are alike and are integral extensions of the wear plate. Each .side .plate 80' is shown as includinga bottom .83 that'extendsisubstantially parallel with the bottorn-60 of the recess thataccommodates the wear plate, and it has aback wall-82*Which issin line with and inetfect a continuation :of theback 7.1.ofq'the wear plate. rearwardly from front end 72 :of the wear plateandbears against or opposes the rearwardly facing :wall 84:of:the depression that'accommodates the; plate. .Aforwardlyifacing wall .of the depression thataccommodates theplate receives or is engaged by the end 82, of the sideplatewhile the bottom 860i the depressionreceives thelowereedge or part 83 of'the sidewall. .It is'to-beobserved'that the walls 84 and 85 of the .depression.areudownwardlyucone vergentand the correspondingparts of theside walliare likewise downwardly convergent.

The present invention in its; preferred form includes-a forwardly projecting lug on thelower forwardiendof each side plate, and these lugs are;received.inscavities87 provided in the'walls 84 of' the :depr'essionsth'at accommodate the side plates. The 1ugsr90 onpthe two,;side plates are preferably alike 'and :each is preferably -;.curved .101 provided with a'forwardly .facinfg :convex partfthat aseats in a correspondingly shaped cavity .87. It is to begobe served from the drawings Ith'atin the preferred construction the partsare arranged-and :relatedzso that the portion of the base" 10 in which the :socket 36 occursnin efiect, overlies theflportioniof the-base in whichatheac'avitiesfl occur.

With the COHStI'UCtiOH1jHSt described .thesmit ffornxed by the wear plate :13. and the-depending side platesds The front wall 83 .of zthesideiplate. is spaced arranged in place by entering the rounded lugs 90 into the cavities 87 and then rocking or swinging the rear end portion of that unit into pla :e until the parts 61 and 71 engage, at which time the parts 82 and 85 engage as do parts 83 and 86.

The retaining means F preferably includes a retainer 50 constructed as shown in Fig. 7, and such as is employed for the retention of the cap on the shank. The retainer 50 is, in this case, arranged so that its pin portion seats against the upper side of an opening 90 that extends transversely through the base 10 while the heads 53 of the retainer engage in openings 91 provided in the side plates 80 and bear downwardly in the openings 91 so that the unit formed by the wear plate and side plates is held tight in the recess that accommodates the wear plate.

In accordance with the present invention keys 95, or the like, are provided on the lower edge portions 83 of the side plates and are seated in corresponding keyways in the walls 96 that oppose the lower edges 83 of the side plates. The keys 95 being engaged in the keyways 96 eflectively retain the side plates and hold them against spreading.

From the foregoing description it will be understood how the present invention provides efiective, simple, practical wear-taking parts on a digger tooth, the wear-taking parts being the cap C and the plate E with its depending side plates 80. It will be immediately apparent how the cap C can be readily arranged in place and secured by a retainer 50, and it will likewise be clear how the unit formed by the wear plate E and the depending side plates 80 may be locked into place so that its forward end is held in place or down by the lugs, while its rear end portion is effectively retained by the retainer 50 engaged through the base 10 and with the side plates 80.

It is to be understood that the wear plate hereinabove described can be formed integrally as by casting or may be a fabricated part. It is also to be understood that the wear plate can be advantageously formed of a material that is extremely hard, and wear resistant, or subject to being treated to give it these characteristics, since the plate is not subject to strain and stress that would tend to break or otherwise damage it,

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a tooth body having a forwardly projecting base and a shank projecting forward from the base, a cap releasably mounted on the shank and having a blade extending longitudinally of the tooth and projecting forward from the base to a tip forward of the shank, and a wear plate releasably mounted on the base adjacent the rear end of the blade and extending rearwardly therefrom, a retainer for the cap engageable through the cap and the shank the base having a forwardly opening socket beneath the plate and the cap having a rearwardly projecting tongue engaged in the socket, the plate having a depending side part with a forwardly projecting lug slidably entered in a rearwardly opening cavity in a portion of the base below that in which the socket occurs, and a retainer for the plate engageable with the said depending part and the base, the last mentioned retainer being located rearward of the lug.

2. In combination, a tooth body having a forwardly projecting base and a shank projecting forward from the base and adapted to be engaged in and carry acap with a Work engaging blade, and a wear plate at the upper forward portion of the base to occur adjacent the rear end of the cap blade, and means releasably retaining the plate on the base including an elongate retainer pin engaged with the base and with the plate, the base having depressions in its sides, the plate having depending side parts to occur in the depressions and engaged by the retainer and the side parts having forwardly projecting lugs thereon held in rearwardly opening cavities in the sides of the base adjacent the depressions therein.

3. In combination, a tooth body having a forwardly projecting base and a shank projecting forward from the base and adapted to be engaged in and carry a cap, and an elongate wear plate at the upper forward portion of the base to occur adjacent the rear end of the cap blade, and means releasably retaining the plate on the base including a retainer engaged with the base and with the plate,

the plate having longitudinal depending side parts in laterally and upwardly opening depressions at the sides of the base and engaged by the retainer, and the side parts having forwardly projecting lugs at their forward ends and held in rearwardly opening cavities in the depressions in the base the retainer including means normally yieldingly urging the rear end portion of the plate downwardly on the base.

4. In combination, a tooth body having a forwardly projecting base and a shank projecting forward from the base, a cap releasably mounted on the shank and having a blade extending longitudinally of the tooth and projecting forward from the base to a tip forward of the shank, and a wear plate releasably mounted on the base and adjoining the rear end of the blade and extending rearwardly therefrom, the base having depressions on the top and in its sides and having rearwardly opening cavities in the side depressions, the plate being engaged in the depressions in the top of the body and having a depending part at each side engaged in the depressions in the sides of the body, each side part having a forwardly projecting lug releasably entered in the cavity in the side depressions in which it is engaged, each of the said depending parts of the plate having keys at their lower portions engaged in upwardly opening keyways in the side depressions in the base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,676 Bauer Sept. 23, 1930 1,804,756 Elwood May 12, 1931 1,918,841 Finkl July 18, 1933v 2,032,875 Graham Mar. 3, 1936 2,483,032 Baer Sept. 27, 1949 2,568,075 Launder Sept. 18, 1951 

